Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has won the Delta State, All-Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary without opposition.
Senator Omo-Agege emerged victorious after polling 1,190 votes in the Delta State APC governorship primary election.
Although he was returned unopposed, delegates reaffirmed with their votes, in line with the Electoral Act.
The event which was held at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, was supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Police and State Security Service operatives.
The returning officer, Ambassador Elijah Onyeajoba, while announcing the result, expressed satisfaction with the peaceful outcome of the exercise, just as he commended the delegates for the orderly manner with which they conducted themselves.
Reacting to the outcome of the exercise, a chieftain of the party and immediate past Vice Chairman for Delta Central, Olorogun Barr. Adelabu Bodjor stated that he was not surprised by the result because the Governorship candidate Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, had no opposition in the primary election.
Bodjor further expressed optimism that the main election shall produce a similar result, pointing out that the Obarisi of Urhobo land has no opposition on his way to Osadebe House come 2023.
“I’m not in any way surprised by the result of the Delta State APC Governorship primary because from day one Obarisi has no opposition.
“This is a pointer to the smooth way he will stroll into Government House, Asaba in 2023.
“Indeed, Deltans can start celebrating from now because a new Delta State that will flow with milk and honey is about to be birthed.
“They should go all out and do the needful, register and obtain their voters’ cards in preparation for the ushering in of a new Delta State that will witness employment, development, good governance and education”‘, he said.
In his acceptance speech, Omo-Agege thanked delegates for reposing confidence in him, assuring that he would not let them down.
Lamenting the neglect of large swathes of the state by the Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration despite the immense resources available to Delta State, Senator Omo-Agege said even the core areas on whose back Okowa rose to become an Anioma governor have had nothing to show for their support for his administration.
The Deputy Senate President expressed dismay that despite the refusal of the government to pay pensioners in the last seven years, it has earmarked N5.1 billion for the construction of an International Conference Centre.
This, he termed a misplacement of priorities and a slap on the faces of senior citizens of the state.
“We are not happy that while they have neglected all these obligations to our pensioners and people who have given their best years to our state, the government is spending N5.1 billion on the erection and construction of a new convention edifice. We don’t think this makes sense.
“There is so much infrastructural decadence in this state. And we are in a hurry to get to work, win the elections and liberate our people,” he said.
Party chieftains at the event include the State party chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie, Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi; member representing Ughelli South/North, Udu Federal Constituency, Hon. Rev. Francis Waive; Chief of Staff to the Deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Otive Igbuzor.
The founding leader of the party in the state and 2015 governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor; Chief Ayiri Emami, Chief Lucky Okperi, and Chief Edeh Dafinone among others, were also fully on the ground.